Sweetheart of the Rodeo returns to the Ryman

Oct.11, 2018

Nashville, TN

Story By Butch Worrell of One Heart Photo

Photos By Butch Worrell of One Heart Photo

Fifty years ago the Byrds were in Nashville recording “Sweetheart of the Rodeo”, having been influenced by the country roots of Gram Parsons who joined after the departure of David Crosby.

Country Rock's birth happened and although it took decades this album is now considered one of the most influential for the “Americana” genre today. To celebrate it's 50^th anniversary Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman joined forces with Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (“cousin” Kenny Vaughn, “handsome” Harry Stinson, and Chris Scruggs) to perform not just the songs from album but also legendary songs from the Byrds catalog of hits along with a special nod to Tom Petty with whom all had collaborated.

This was the most iconic moment of the tour as the first songs performed live ever from the album were on the stage of the Ryman, considered the mother church of not just country music but the Americana genre. While not received well in 1968 by the audience this time the standing ovations began the moment they took the stage and kicked off with “My Back Pages”. The distinctive rich sound of McGuinn's Rickenbacker, the “B-Bender” twang of Clarence White's telecaster owned and played by Marty, Hillman's and McGuinn's vocals....all set the stage for a night of music that the consensus was one of the best shows ever performed there. The first set went from Byrds hits such as “Mr. Tambourine Man” to covers of country classics such as Porter Wagoner's “A Satisfied Mind”.

The second set began with Marty and his Superlatives performing the appropriately named “Country Boy Rock N Roll” and “Time Don't Wait”. Then McGuinn and Hillman entered and began the “Sweetheart” portion of the show with “You Ain't Going Nowhere”. The five song encore was just exactly perfect including the shout out to Tom Petty with “American Girl”, “Wildflowers”, and “Running Down a Dream”. As “Turn,Turn,Turn” the final song of the show states, “To Everything There is a Season” and this proved to be the season of the celebration of the roots of Americana music.